The invention relates to an apparatus for the production of patterned tufted fabric comprising at least one needle bar extending athwart the feed direction of a fabric web and adapted to perform stitching movements perpendicularly to the plane of the web, such needle bar containing a transverse member extending right along its length and on which a plurality of needle carriers are rotatably mounted in a row, each carrier bearing radially projecting needles adapted to guide an associated thread and by means of an associated swiveling device are able to be moved into stitching positions respectively associated with their needles.